After finishing with a sub .500 record yet again with no real progress being shown, Zygi Wilf decides it is time to move on from Leslie Frazier. After appointing Spielman to General Manager last year, Wilf gives Spielman the opportunity to pick his own head coach and put his stamp on the team. After interviewing multiple candidates, Spielman makes an interesting decision and hires current Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy.

One of the biggest issues with the previous coaching staff in Minnesota was the inability to make adjustments both during the season and during games. McCoy has shown that he excels at adapting to new situations and making adjustments during the season when he was forced to completely re-work the Denver offense mid-season in 2011 when Tim Tebow was made the starter, and then again in 2012 when Peyton Manning was brought in.

In 2009, then-Broncos QB Kyle Orton enjoyed a career year under McCoy, posting career highs in virtually every passing category. The following year, the Broncos passing attack ranked seventh in the NFL, and Orton ranked fourth in the league in passing yards per game. In 2011 to accommodate Tim Tebow's skill-set, and the Broncos led the NFL in rushing, and in 2012 with Peyton Manning the Broncos have one of the best passing attacks in the league.

McCoy also brings along former Viking Jack Del Rio from Denver to serve as the Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator, effectively running the defense while McCoy can focus on the offensive side of the ball. McCoy runs a variant of the WCO, which will be an easy transition for Christian Ponder, and Del Rio will carry over his attacking 4-3 defense from Denver. One big change will be Chad Greenway moving back to WLB, with Everson Griffen starting at SLB in a role similar to Von Miller in Denver.

Even a casual fan knows that the WR’s and LB’s on the 2012 Vikings did not get the job done, and Spielman’s first move is to gut both units. The only WR’s left on the team are Percy Harvin and Jarius Wright. Underperforming and overpaid veterans John Carlson and Chris Kluwe are also let go. Jasper Brinkley is a decent player but not a great fit in the 4-3 and will earn Minnesota a late round comp pick in 2014.

Spielman makes it a point to address the WR position early and makes a big splash by bringing in Greg Jennings from Green Bay. He knows the fans will revolt if the offense doesn’t improve, and adding a premiere veteran WR is a big step towards doing so. Outside of Jennings the Vikings focus on internal free agents by bringing back Phil Loadholt, Kevin Williams, Jerome Felton and AJ Jefferson while also extending the contracts on Percy Harvin and Jared Allen who are set to become free agents after the 2013 season. Erin Henderson and Jamarca Sanford are also brought back for depth purposes after they test the FA market without finding any real interest.

NFL DRAFT

1. LB CJ Mosley, Alabama
After missing out on his #1 target (Manti Te’o) and the high-end WR’s, Spielman decides to trade back in the 1st and grab his 2nd rated 4-3 LB, while picking up an extra 2nd round pick. Mosley will be a tremendous addition in the middle of the defense, and will be a leader from day 1. He is an all-around great linebacker, able to play the run, drop into coverage and rush the passer.

2. DT Kawann Short, Purdue
Due to the wealth of DT talent in this class, it is inevitable that a couple top notch DT’s will fall into the 2nd round. The Vikings get lucky and are able to pick up Short who will add a big boost to the interior pass rush and is solid against the run. With the addition of Mosley and Short the Vikings defense should be much more stout up the middle.

2. WR Da’Rick Rogers, Tennessee Tech
Da’Rick is probably the most talented WR in this class, he just needs to get his head on straight. However, the last time the Vikings bet on a WR with character issues (Harvin) it paid off handsomely. Greg Jennings is the perfect veteran mentor for a WR like Rogers, and Minnesota is a perfect place for a kid like Da’Rick to “cool” his heels. A combo of Jennings/Harvin/Rogers/Wright puts Ponder in a great situation. Throw in Peterson and Rudolph and you have a deadly, balanced offense.

3. G Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State
I would argue that OG is the biggest need on the team, and adding a big body like Gabe Jackson is an absolute necessity. Jackson provides great push in the running game and paired with Kalil and Sullivan really solidifies the blind side for Ponder. With Schwartz taking over for Fusco on the right side and resigning Loadholt the OL should be ready to roll.

4. S Rashard Hall, Clemson
This is a very deep safety class, and although Harrison Smith has one spot locked up, the other safety spot is still an open competition. Sanford is best in a ST/reserve role, and Mistral Raymond hasn’t done enough to say he doesn’t need some competition. Between Raymond, Sanford, Hall and Blanton hopefully we can find one guy who can step up.

4. DE Margus Hunt, Southern Methodist
With Everson Griffen taking over at SLB and Brian Robison’s contract expiring after 2013, adding a LDE is a bit of a priority. Hunt is a huge DE at 6’8” and 275+ pounds, and is a great fit as a run-stuffing LDE. Similar to Robison, Hunt is also a shotputter who won gold medals for Estonia in the 2006 Junior World Championships in both shotput and discus, and more importantly he has blocked more kicks than anyone in NCAA history (17).

5. WR Conner Vernon, Duke
Vernon lacks elite size or speed, but he is just flat out productive. He is the current NCAA active leader with 3630 receiving yards, 2nd with 280 catches and has at least one reception in every game he has played, while only missing 1 game in 4 years. He is a great route runner who knows how to create separation and has extremely reliable hands. He will never be a #1 WR, but every team needs someone reliable who can come off the bench and make a difference

6. WR Aaron Mellette, Elon
Mellette may be from a small school, but his prototypical size and excellent production makes him a very intriguing prospect. If he has good offseason workouts and runs well at the combine he could shoot up draft boards very quickly. Currently he is one of the best sleeper WR prospects in this class.

UDFA. P Jeff Locke, UCLA
Chris Kluwe is one of my favorite Vikings, but he has been terrible this year, and you simply cannot hang onto a punter that makes that many mistakes. Also from UCLA is Jeff Locke, who has a booming leg and has consistently been able to flip the field for the Bruins as a punter, ranking among national leaders in net punting throughout his entire career.

UDFA. CB Brandon McGee, Miami
McGee is a former top recruit that hasn’t lived up to expectations at Miami. Coaches rave about his natural athleticism and football ability, but he hasn’t been able to put it together on the field yet. Definitely worth a look as a UDFA.

Love the veteran wide receiver. Love the first few picks. Love a new starting guard.

not sure about Kluwe being cut. Not sure Griffin is a linebacker, nut since they refuse to really rotate the dline, like they should, I guess it is worth a shot. Not sure about extending Allen.....he has disappeared a lot this year. I would be looking at dealing him, but no way Spielman does that...._________________Wins are a team stat, not a QB stat

Not much to complain about. I have heard Denver fans complain about the Broncos offensive playcalling, but I guess that falls more on the coordinator. I love Kawann Short but he more of a UT, I personally feel that we need that space eater to get back to the run defense we are used to._________________

Not much to complain about. I have heard Denver fans complain about the Broncos offensive playcalling, but I guess that falls more on the coordinator. I love Kawann Short but he more of a UT, I personally feel that we need that space eater to get back to the run defense we are used to.

I can't comment on McCoy's playcalling, but his offensive production even with terrible QB's is pretty impressive.

I think another interior pass rusher is more important than a 2-gap NT in a 4-3. You can still have a great run defense with 1-gap rushers if the LB'ers are decent at shedding blocks. Getting disruption in the backfield and blowing up the line is just as important as occupying blockers._________________From the fool’s gold mouthpiece the hollow horn,
Plays wasted words, proves to warn,
That he not busy being born is busy dying.

I must be the only one but I feel Robison would be better in a stand up linebacking role. He just seems better in space.

I didn't even think about this, but that may be true. I think Griffen has more sideline-to-sideline speed, but Robison has better short area quickness._________________From the fool’s gold mouthpiece the hollow horn,
Plays wasted words, proves to warn,
That he not busy being born is busy dying.

You simply can't keep a punter around that shanks as many kicks as Kluwe has this season. He has been great over the years but his performance this year is inexcusable.

PrplChilPill wrote:

Not sure Griffin is a linebacker, nut since they refuse to really rotate the dline, like they should, I guess it is worth a shot.

I would only want to see Griffin in at LB in a scheme like what Denver uses with Von Miller where the SLB blitzes the majority of the time and is really just a 5th pass rusher._________________From the fool’s gold mouthpiece the hollow horn,
Plays wasted words, proves to warn,
That he not busy being born is busy dying.

Honestly, this is excellent. Very well done. I love getting Short and Mosley to bolster the defense, and I think you drafted a Guard right where we should draft one. I also absolutely love the additions of Greg Jennings and Da'Rick Rodgers because even if Ponder fails, we'll have two rock-solid weapons (one established, the other upstart) for the next QB to step right in and work with. I'm a fan of this mock, for sure, nice work, hombre._________________
Peppers90 on the sig.